Tagged: Hunter Pence

Well yesterdays game was 100 for the year, according to my score book, 79 were away games, leaving 2 more in LA to complete the 81 for 93 adventure. We are going to do it! It is a bit tiring we will admit, but what could be more exciting than yesterdays 5-2 13th inning win. It brings us closer to the playoffs, but no guarantee yet.
A 3 run 13th inning was exciting coming down the home stretch. The relievers did their job. Peavy threw his 83 pitches in 7 innings. He was almost matched by Haran’s 100 pitches in his 7 inning. Two more games vs the Dodgers. It could get more exciting before the week is over.

We should mention that Larry Baer invited us to the office proceeding next Sundays home game. What could he have in mind? Whatever it is, we are excited.

And now for the ladies view- I don’t make any bones about it, I can’t stand driving in LA. We opted for a nap, and overslept. We usually get there two hours pre-game, but it was 5:30 when we woke up. It is only a little over 3 miles so we felt we had plenty of time. Naturally there was a detour getting on the 110, and naturally even Bert could have walked faster than we drove. We arrived at the stadium and dashed in to a prefered lot and hurried to the stadium. There was no time to get the passport stamped, and we hurried to our seats. Harriet and Dave who follow our blog came by to say hi, and sadly we only had time for a brief conversation and a quick photo, and then just about enough time to fill out the line up on the score book. The atmosphere was a playoff atmosphere last night, and the Giants came to play.

Joe who was sitting at the top of our section

They looked like a different team from the one we saw in San Diego. The Dodgers had massive cheer squads

Cheer squad performed pre-game.

Frank Sinatra Jr sang the National Anthem and it was Tommy Lasordas birthday complete with a cake and well wishes from Magic Johnson. Lucky for us we came to spoil the party.

Giants get hyped for a battle

As with the 1st visit to Dodger stadium I encountered some less than desireable behavior from Dodgers fans. I took a hit in the back of my knee with a beer bottle and my knee is still smarting. I think that both the Dodgers organization and Dodgers fans could end this type of behavior, and they should. We heard great Dodgers cheers like Giants suck. Some Dodgers fans apologized, but none of them told the idiots to zip it.

Beer bottle that some Dodgers fan threw at me from behind

The great overtime victory did take the sting out of being hit, as did the comments from a Dodger fan who said I would take Hunter Pence over Puig any day and Brandon Crawford over Hanley Ramirez.

Photo of Pence drumming up Giants win sent from our friend Loran

To what do I credit for the win? Maybe the great together we can spirit? Maybe the coaching? The pitching? The fielding, which was terrific? Or the bats that seemed to light up? No- I credit Hunter Pence for the drum playing on Browns head that seems to fire up the Giants.

Giants needed something to get bats going

Oh, and I would be remiss in failing to report on the food.

Dinner last night

Like all else in Dodgers stadium dinner didn’t live up to what we enjoy as Giants fans. We both got burned hot dogs.
I got texts pre-game from Giants fans asking us to tell the Giants that they want to Giants to know they still believe. My nieces boyfriend who lives in Seattle sent us a photo of how much he believed

Johnny put his money where his mouth is

My mom texted she was exhausted but wouldn’t close her eyes until the final pitch was thrown. My dad who has Alzheimer’s took a lap each time the Giants got a hit. My sister rooted them on, and said she believed in the Giants and they would win just like the Seahawks. My daughter joined in listening to every play. Fans like Larry from Texas watched eagerly on MLB, and told us he already had tickets for 2 Giants series next year and wanted to plan a get together. Fans from the blog are already planning when we can get together next year. We also got texts from across the country from as far as Iowa who saw us on TV and reported on Kruik and Kuips commentary.
Bert and I are moved by the people who have become part of the 81 for 93 adventure. Go Giants….together we can! And as if we didn’t have enough fun at Dodgers stadium Bert suggested we just try and go direct to the right field gate instead of retraceing our path in. We got out to the lots and couldn’t find our car. after 30 minutes of walking we did get a cart and described where we had come in, and he took us right to the car.
Until
Bert and Le Anne

Game 98-77 away- It was another one we would like to forget! In a way I can’t wait for the next 4 games so that I may be relieved of the 81 weight I seem to be carrying on my back. Promises are promises. Expectations must be met. So with all the glamor, and excitement that the 81 story has engendered, how may I plead not to just being tired, but being tired of the travel. The day does not now pass when Le Anne and I are not stopped, admired, or congratulated on what we are doing. I am wondering what it is we are doing to engender these reactions.

Winning or losing baseball games, no longer seems the issue, in attempting to comment on the game, or what tomorrow may bring. The many reactions and friendly discussions we are having in all of our travel, have made us realize how much a sport- including baseball of course, breaks the ice among people to the point of molding and melding attitudes about all our lifestyles, different as they may be.

We have learned from others, that these interactions have been helpful. We have learned so much about others as we travel. What else could be better? So the Giants were swamped by the Padres. The friends and relationships created on this trip make that fact seem immaterial. Who would have thought?

And now for the ladies view- We met Loran for lunch at the terrace. On the way we passed a display with a baseball from the 1800’s.

Lemon peel baseball

We had our burgers and beer, and then came back to watch a rare Cubs come from behind finish. We gained on those Dodgers, and were full of hope as we headed to the game. I am limping thru trying to publish the blog since my laptop battery is dying. I have a new one on order, but I won’t have it until I get home. We had a great group of Giants fans around us in 113, but even with all the cheering we were unable to pull out the win. Buster had a good outing as predicted by the game notes, and Hunter had a better than expected outing. We came up one run short. Petit pitched a great game. We desperately need a win today. I am rushing out the door for a stadium tour, the blog is late, and Bert is planning a power nap. We did make it on TV.

The covered stadium helped the Dbacks diehards (21,731) enjoy a pleasant win over the visiting Giants, while the high 90’s outside kept everyone uncomfortable.
But Trumbos’ grandslam in the 3rd gave the DBacks a 4-0 lead, which was never contested. Miley was in full control of the Giants until he left after 92 pitches in the 5th inning. The lead was never threatened, and the Giants must win the next 2 to take the series. We will be there to cheer them on an we continue the 81 for 93 adventure.
And now for the ladies view- We began the trip with a stop by AT&T for a guest spot on Marty Lurie’s pre-game show. We were made official members of his fan club and met lots of great Giants fans, who rooted us on as we come down the stretch on the final road trip of the 81 for 93 adventure. To hear the broadcast click here http://www.loveofthegameproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Bert_Steinberg__GIANTS_Superfan-1410726496.mp3. It was loud and noisy, and of course there we techical problems with a remote, but we had fun meeting the New York lawyer behind the mike. We then hopped in the car and made it as far as Redlands before opting to call it a day. We headed out early and made it to the hotel in time to head to Chase after a quick siesta.
We went to the Arizona Baseball Club for dinner, and Bert ordered the chicken caesar salad which was enormous, and I ordered the tamales. The tamales were a piece of art on the plate, and the guacamole provided a complement to the eye and the palate.

I caught Bert grabbing a bite of his salad.

And now for my comments of the game. I want a world series. After the disaster with the Dodgers, I figured Bochy would play each game like it was an elimination game. It was apparent from the start that Vogie was not at his best, yet Bochy made no changes. I don’t understand when we put my beloved Boys from the bay at such a disadvantage. I seethed the entire game, and were it not for a fellow Pence fan visiting from Texas I might have stormed close to the field to let Bochy have a piece of my mind. IMHO when you have a stinker you need a great game to erase it, and that wasn’t what this game provided. Enough said. I hope he takes this game seriously, and we end up with a W tonight.
We are currently under flash flood watch and I hope we get thunder from the Giants bats tonight

Petit didn’t have it. Before you could blink an eye(3 innings) our Giants were 6 behind. But these days you get to feel, they really want to work overtime, and go to the playoffs. They came back with another come from behind victory. Of course my man Posey, lead the charge, but Le Anne’s Pence was not far behind. So the Killers P’s – Pagan, Pence, Posey, Panik, and Pablo got going and pulled out the win, to make the visiting Giants fans happy.
Today, another day, another game, another win to close the gap.
And now for the ladies view. We had a very busy day in Denver. We were picked up at the Westin by Henry and then went out to the center for adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The group had watched “Pride of the Yankees” and then Bert was there to share his memories of Lou Gehrig. We had a baseball lunch of hot dogs, mac and cheese, and cole slaw with the group. Henry’s friend Alan filmed, while Jim interviewed Bert. We then bid good-bye to the group and headed to Henry’s development called Silver Sage for taping for an independent film. We went to the media room and talked until we ran out of time, and had to rush back to Denver so we could make the game. The stadium was relatively empty with about 25K fans. It appeared there were more Giant fans than Rockies. We stopped in again at the brewery for dinner. We had baked potatoes for dinner.

Baked potato with queso, beed, pico, sour cream, and jalapenos

. Then off we went to the Dry Diamond to get the passport stamped.

This official stamper was friendly and not camera shy

We were lucky enough to have 2 Giants fans from Shreveport,LA. Vickie and Paul followed the Giants because Paul loved Willy Mays.
Vickie was smarty attired in her Panda hat. Next to us was a couple on a date to see their 1st baseball game together. He managed to get on TV and he also caught a ball bare handed, so it will be a date he remembers for a long time.

Paul.” Panda” Vickie, Bert, and Le Anne

It was great that we managed to do to the Rockies what they had managed to do to us the previous game. We over came their “insurmountable” lead and came away with a W. We were able to see Kruk and Kuip and again got a wave from them. We also got two texts telling us they had put us on TV. I hope we can take this one and the Nats will destroy the Dodgers. Beat LA! Go Giants!
Until,
Bert and Le Anne

We shudda won! We didn’t! 8 hits in the 1st 3 innings. 5 hits in the 3rd. We were certainly disappointed, having 2 men thrown out and home in that inning, so only 1 run scored. Obviously the Giants were disappointed too. They could only squeeze out 4 singles for the rest of the game.

Butlers homer in the 1st was all the Royals needed to coast the rest of the way. Bumgarner did a fine job following that 1 mistake. He went for a complete game loss throwing 123 pitches in 8 innings. He faced only 3 Royals in each inning after the 2nd. Another wasted superb performance although it did require 4 KC relievers to protect their early lead. They did so while striking out 5 Giants to match the starters 5 K’s for a total of 10 Giant strikeouts.

The Tim boys-Hudson and Lincecum will now have to win the final 2 outings to grab the series. We will be there, then return home for a week before hitting the road to Chicago and DC back east. This will complete 9 of the 12 trips in the 81 adventure.

And now for the ladies view- Grrr I am still trying to get online, and the annoyance of not being able connect to wi-fi is making me about as happy as last nights loss.

Guest relations in tops at KC

We arrived at the stadium and we met outside by Giants fans Liz and Larry. Larry even had orange shoes.

Liz and Larry I believe from Nebraska

We then went to guest relations and they are the best guest relations dept we have met so far. We not only got the passport stamped, but were given the press notes on both teams, a tote to carry everything, and they even tracked down a scorebook since Bert had run out of pages on his. They also gave us hints on food, and we were not disappointed.

Getting the passport stamp

KC tote bag that guest relations provided us to carry things on the 81 for 93 adventure

Media scorebook that Royals gave Bert

Press notes provided by the guest relations team for the Royals

The Mac and Jack sausage with pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce all over a sausage was delicious. Bert opted for a hot dog which was grilled, a little burned, but warm and tasty. Bert chased the dog with a beer

Mac and Jack sausage for about $11

The stadium was great for the market size of the Royals. Creative finishes such as the crown on the scoreboard, and the water features that can be lit were attractive. The scoreboards provided all the info that anyone wanting to score the game needed, and the scorer was responsive in getting scoring decisions on the scoreboard.

water features are turned into fountains between innings and lit

Scoreboard with crown is unique

Jim and Jennifer tricked us by telling us they were seated right behind us. They are new Giants fan friends.

Jim and Jennifer who we met in Milwaukee follow the Giants to KC

we were lucky enough to have Giants fans next to us. They even scored the game

Giants supporters help us keep scoring straight since we were tired

We had a visit from Carley and Sara who recognized us from Kruk and Kuips broadcasts.

Carley and Sara cheer with Bert and Le Anne. Go Giants!

The game was a big disappointment. Madison Bumgarner gave a super human performance with 123 pitches. The play was sloppy and we could have easily taken this game so the loss is even tougher. Giants players are playing to hard and just need to relax. I was happy that Morse and Perez had better games after being so gracious to us yesterday. Of note was an unusual play by the ump at 3rd. He was calling a Giant safe and was so enthusiastic he fell on his rear. It will certainly make the bloopers list.
I am a big Bumgarner fan and it was sad to have 3 Giant errors, a slide by Pence into 3rd which was called safe then overturned, and a call on the Royals which was overturned in their favor- nothing seemed to go our way.
The Royals fans we met were welcoming, the stadium is family friendly, and if you enjoy a park off the beaten path KC is a good place to visit. I would come back in the future. Now we just need a couple of wins and I will really like it! It only took me 2 hours to do the blog today due to slow internet at the Staybridge Suites… Grrr
Until,
Bert and Le Anne

Friday July 25th Road game 50
Ok. So 3 out of 4 after 2 out of 3 add up to a road trip of 3 games over .500. Keep that up and no plans need to be made for Oct. We will be busy with the playoffs and the World Series. In fact, Le Anne and I have already canceled a scheduled trip to Dublin for the 1st week of Fall. Taking a 3 game series lead comes next, with only 9 more games to play against the Dodgers. We are full of expectation and hope.

Game 50 (last Thurs) of the 81 away still left us at a 29-20(1 suspended) record for travel games this season, an enviable account. The last 2 Philly games were bot beautifully pitched by all 4 starters. A 3-1 Giant win matched the final game 2-1 loss for outstanding pitching performances. Eleven Giants K’s were the difference over the 5 Philly strikeouts. Only 3 hits and 1 walk were the total that both teams could muster in the last 4 innings. The relievers matched the starters in their outstanding performance. So, in SF, as our current travel stop the Dodgers, and then back east to NY for the Mets, the to Milwaukee, and KC.

Bert saw the babe when he was 7 in the bleachers of Yankees stadium

Liberty Bell of Lego at Philadelphia airport

Now for the ladies view. I missed Dylan and Amey at the game as much as I missed a Giants win to sweep the series. This road trip was a successful one, and I am already looking at gaining on the Dodgers. We got a text during the game from our” Daughter Outlaw”( don’t worry she chose the title) telling us Kruk and Kuip had us on TV in the 4th. They caught us eating lunch, and suggested we rate the food on our blog . Bert had the hot dog and chips and I had 1/2 a cheese steak and Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries with cheese sauce at the time. Kruk and Kuip mentioned Hunter Pence’s favorite- kale.

Philly cheese steak

Philly dog and chips

In case they are still wondering we may eat kale at home, but not at the ball park. I was wrapped up in the game and trying to get back to my score book, so hurriedly eating the fries.

Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries with white cheddar sauce

The game was a bit of a disappointment with Hudson being let down by sloppy play from his team mates. We hoped that we would steal another from Phillies reliever Papelbon, but it wasn’t meant to be. After the game we headed back to the hotel in rush hour traffic, grabbed our suitcases and headed to the airport in the hopes of making an earlier flight. Even though Bert has status with American, and they have absorbed US air, the US air personnel were not helpful so we waited 5 hours in the lounge and ended up arriving home a little past 2 am. I started working on hotels for New York this morning and have the 1st 3 days taken care of.
Until Tuesday when we head to NY,
Bert and Le Anne

Thurs July 24th
Wednesday was a different day, and a different game- even if it lasted almost as long as Tuesdays 14 inning, 5 hour plus one. This time nature- thunder, lightning, and rain can be blamed. The game was halted for an hour, and then, very surprisingly, started up, and continued during the same rain, thunder, and lightning. It was truly surprising that the players did not object and walk off the field. But I could only think of 1.5-2 million in receipts forcing the game on, until those 4.5 or 5 innings were played which avoided rain checks. A more consumer ignored event I have never seen.

As for baseball itself, it was an 8 inning scoreless gem from Bumgarner and Burnett(who threw 131 pitches). Papelbon, still a trade possibility, blew the game for the 2nd straight night, allowing 3 runs in the 9th. Another Giant road win 3-1, for a possible 4 game sweep on the Phillies.

And now for the ladies take on the game. We began with dinner with Dylan and Amey at McFaddens, a sports bar attached to the stadium. It was loaded with TV’s and as Bert noted, cute waitresses. Bert had wings, Dylan the pulled pork, Amey a greek salad, and I cheese steak Nachos. I was disappointed with my nachos having read rave reviews about them. They were a lot of chips, moderate cheese sauce, and minimal meat. The onions were not cooked and didn’t add much. Amey’s salad was chopped iceberg, and she said she liked the feta and olives. Bert’s wings were meaty and would have been enough for both of us. Dylan didn’t comment on his meal, but finished it.

Boneless wings from McFaddens

Cheesesteak nachos

Carolina Pulled Pork

Greek Salad

It was warm and muggy so we enjoyed the air conditioning until close to game time. Dylan’s law firm was generous enough to give us tickets again. We had Jersey Giants fans behind us. They had never been to AT&T and volunteered to come back with us so they could see the stadium. It was a good pitching duel, but suddenly the air began to cool and I knew it would it was going to rain. Dylan has a good sense of humor and was good-natured about me joking about a rain delay, and extra innings. Since the previous game had gone past midnight I am sure he and Amey were exhausted. You would have never guessed it.
The rain began, and out came the tarp.

Untarping the field

We have now had enough rain delays that I could participate in tarping and untarping. They used a different system in Philly to untarp and wrapped it around a big section of pipe. This seemed awkward vs simply folding it, but I am sure there is a reason for it. We went up toward the concourse and found a seat for Bert and after he spent 2 minutes chatting with the people, they moved over so we could all sit together. I learned Amey has a Chicago Cubs tradition in her family, as I do in mine. It was pleasant to get to spend some time visiting. After the rain delay Dylan took over scoring for Bert. He stepped in because the lighting was poor in the upper row close to the concourse. Like many of the Sternbergs, he learned his scoring from Bert. The thunder and lightning continued, but the bats remained quiet until the 9th. Hunter Pence tripled and the rest was history.
Until,
Bert and Le Anne